History of Roads in the U.S. — Books, Resources?

[ITB]

What are the best books that tell the history of roads in the United States?

[catch22]

One I can recommend is "America's Highways, 1776-1976," published by the Federal Highway Administration in 1976 as part of the Bicentennial celebration. It has two parts, the first is a history of road building (and the ways to fund it) from the colonial era to the passage of the 1956 Federal Aid Highway Act, and the second part covers the design, planning and construction of the Interstate system.

The book is long-since out of print, but a quick Google search shows that used copies are out there.  The Smithsonian Institution also has an on-line version, which can be found here:  https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/americashighways00unit

[ITB]

One I can recommend is "America's Highways, 1776-1976," published by the Federal Highway Administration in 1976 as part of the Bicentennial celebration. It has two parts, the first is a history of road building (and the ways to fund it) from the colonial era to the passage of the 1956 Federal Aid Highway Act, and the second part covers the design, planning and construction of the Interstate system.

The book is long-since out of print, but a quick Google search shows that used copies are out there.  The Smithsonian Institution also has an on-line version, which can be found here:  https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/americashighways00unit

Thanks for the suggestion. Seems like an interesting and useful book, and one I'd like to own.

[dgolub]

For New York, Robert Caro's book The Power Broker, a biography of Robert Moses, is an excellent resource.  Be forewarned, though: It's very long.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/biblio.cfm

[Ned Weasel]

Looking for America on the New Jersey Turnpike should be on any road enthusiast's must-read list.  https://www.amazon.com/Looking-America-New-Jersey-Turnpike/dp/0813514665/

[vdeane]

I'm partial to The Roads that Built America by Dan McNichol.

[gonealookin]

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/biblio.cfm

One of the ones mentioned there, along with vdeane's McNichol book above, is Earl Swift's The Big Roads: The Untold Story of the Engineers, Visionaries, and Trailblazers Who Created the American Superhighways which I enjoyed.

[Route66Fan]

There is also Divided Highways: Building the Interstate Highways, Transforming American Life - 2nd Edition.

[Rothman]

There is also Divided Highways: Building the Interstate Highways, Transforming American Life - 2nd Edition.

Careful with that one.  I had a professor who contributed behind the scenes to it and the video -- and she was probably one of the worst researchers I've come across.  Have no idea how she got tenure.  Wait, yes I do:  She did have a talent for making b.s. sound legit.

Anyway, the facts in Divided Highways are mostly sound, but the commentary and anecdotes are worthy of more scruitiny.

[wanderer2575]

I'm sure it's no longer in print, but Dan Cupper's The Pennsylvania Turnpike: A History is an interesting read and includes many older photos.  I have the 1995 revised edition.

[Angelo71]

Is there an alternate history of roads in U.S.? Like if me or Fritzowl controlled the interstate system?

[Alps]

Is there an alternate history of roads in U.S.? Like if me or Fritzowl controlled the interstate system?

You can write one yourself but you better do it in Fictional

[PastTense]

Actually there is a good change there will be a history of highways/transportation in your particular area, and this might be more interesting to you than a general history. For example for Iowa look at Transportation in Iowa: A historical summary by William H. Thompson published in 1989
[used copies available at Amazon, etc.]

So do a Google search for something like
transportation history {your state} book